The present invention relates generally to amusement rides and, more particularly, to a roller coaster car that can better articulate in different directions than existing roller coaster cars.
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, existing roller coaster cars 1 comprise front 4A and back track wheel 4B assemblies and in many instances comprise two seats, a front seat 5A and a rear seat 5B; it should be understood that the terms “front track wheel assembly 4A” and “back track wheel assembly 4B” imply a corresponding wheel assembly (although not shown) on the other side (viz., the right side) of the roller coaster cars 2 and 3 since only the left side of these cars 2/3 are shown in FIGS. 1A-1B. Furthermore, adjacent roller coaster cars are coupled to each other by a coupling arm 6 that connects between the back end of a first car and the front end of the following car, more particularly, referred to as rear RD and front FD drawheads, respectively. In particular, as shown most clearly in FIG. 1B, the coupling arm 6 has a first rod end 6A secured to a first coupler pin 7A that is mounted in the rear drawhead RD; similarly, coupling arm 6 has a second rod end 6B secured to a second coupler pin 7B that is mounted in the front drawhead FD. For added safety, safety chains SC are connected between respective eyebolts (only two of which EB are shown) located in the front and rear drawheads FD/RD. It should be noted that the front FD and rear RD drawheads each comprise a unitary element.
The presence of the front track wheel assemblies 4A in each of the cars following the “lead car” provide front-end support of these following cars 3 (hereinafter referred to as “secondary cars”). Because of this front-end support, the coupling arm 6 between the lead car 2 and the following car 3 and between all of the other secondary cars (although not shown) is an external connection at the back of the car in front and at the front end of the following car, at the respective drawheads, mentioned previously.
Although the front-end support of each secondary car permits the use of this externally-connected coupling arm, one disadvantage of the front-end support is that it minimizes “articulation” of the secondary car 3.
Thus, there remains a need for a roller coaster car that can experience an enhanced articulation when coupled to the lead car or any secondary car during roller coaster operation.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.